the wine glass chandelier

Posted on March 9, 2012 by cpotter

Storage is something which has to be very carefully planned within any interior space – you must ensure that there is a location for each and every item you own which is easily accessible or things are just never put away. So where would you store your wine glasses?

For some it will be away in a cupboard, for others on display in a glass fronted cupboard and for others, well – why not just use them as something else in the meantime?

Enter this brilliant wine glass chandelier from Dwell.

With a metal frame on chain supports, the little hooks neatly nestle the base of a wine glass, storing them upside down in a similar way to a pub wine glass storage rack.

The light bounces around the glasses, utilising them in the same way as expensive crystal, but the difference is you can use this chandelier and just change the colour or shape of the finished shade whenever you fancy.

We love it – whimsical yet practical and easily personalised and only £199.

(image via Dwell)

some stunning sling chairs

Posted on March 1, 2012 by cpotter

Chairs have often been the stumbling block in design. Many designers create them, but few can be considered as iconic designs, and really, how many new chairs do we really need? But these beautiful sling chairs by Still and Co might just change your mind…

Made for the Brooklyn store Sit and Read, these sling chairs use old persian rugs which have been over dyed with vivid yellows and greens, making them really zing.

The rugs are hemmed, then hand stitched onto minimal, black metal frames which provide an interesting juxtaposition between the materials.

And, perhaps most importantly, they look pretty comfortable to sit in – which is really what a chair is for.

(image via Sit and Read)

textile taxidermy

Posted on February 29, 2012 by cpotter

There is a huge trend in the interior scene for using taxidermy heads or even whole animals, but for those who do not want a dead animal in their spaces, what are the options?

Well, a little while ago we covered the trend of the cardboard taxidermy head – a post and product that is very popular indeed.

And now, artist Rachel Denny has created a range of taxidermy heads in a host of other materials, including a range of textiles.

Denny creates these wonderful pieces by stitching, knitting and crafting shapes from items such as old blankets, woollen jumpers and felt, which provide a wonderful softness to the often masculine and hunter aspects of traditional, real taxidermy.

Other materials such as copper pennies are also used by Denny to create a magnificent range of texture and tone on the pieces.

We think these are wonderful examples of create upcycling and a brilliant way to link into the taxidermy trend – the animal friendly way!

(images via Inhabitat)

pigeons and jelly

Posted on February 3, 2012 by cpotter

We often find old chairs on our travels which are a little battle worn but have the most wonderful shapes and structures. They do not need to be relegated to the garage or junk shop, they just need a bit of tlc and a new skin.

Choosing the right fabric for any project can be a mind numbing process, but sometimes you just find something that you cannot wait to get your mitts on and onto a lovely object.

And this is how we feel about this fantastic ‘pigeons and jelly’ fabric from Thornback and Peel, who are based in London.

Etching style grey pigeons are offset with raspberry pink jellies, printed onto linen which is begging to be transformed into a seat pad, cushion or whole sofa.

And if you favour rabbits and cabbages, birds and eggs, goldfish and corals or even just jellies on their own, you are in luck. Truly lovely, eclectic British fabrics.

Get it here for £75 per metre.

(images via Thornback and Peel)

the official colour of 2012

Posted on January 19, 2012 by cpotter

Colour, and its uses in all elements of design and architecture (and even food) fluctuate like the wind around a tulle skirt. Colour trends are seasonal (think yellow in Spring andgreen at Christmas), but did you know that every year we have an ‘official’ colour of the year?

Well, those colour bods over at Pantone have assessed a whole range of sources and declared that ‘Tangerine Tango’ or 17-1463 in designer speak is the colour of 2012.

In the words of Pantone, Tangerine Tango “… marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy”

Blimey. And this photo from Pantone themselves says it all.

Not our favourite selection we have to admit, but lets see how much we see of it over the coming twelve months.

(image from Creative Review)

walls of birds and flowers…

Posted on January 10, 2012 by cpotter

As our post yesterday proved so popular, we have decided to dedicate the week to our pick of the nicest wallpapers around at the moment and for day 2 we have this lovely example from the brilliant EcoCentric.

The Pavilion Birds wallpaper is inspired by our very own Royal Pavilion in Brighton, and features photo montage printed images as well as delicate, hand finished elements such as individually tinted leaves.

The paper is chlorine free and is printed in the UK using water based inks and no hazardous chemicals. The way it should be.

At £80.68 per 10m roll it is great for a feature wall where you can get up close and appreciate the work that has gone into each piece.

When do you take your Christmas decorations down? And what do you do with them?

Posted on January 6, 2012 by cpotter

There is always confusion with when you are supposed to take down Christmas decorations after the seasonal festivities.

According to the Christian tradition, the tree, decorations and cards should be all packed up by Twelfth Night – January 6th – lest your house be filled with misfortune for the coming year. If you miss the date, you are supposed to keep everything up till next year. Fine by us we say – we love having a living tree inside.

But really, whenever you take your decorations down, there are a load of ways to ensure that nothing goes to waste.

If you have a real tree, you will need to look for Christmas tree recycling points, which are run by most councils and positioned in various public locations such as designated areas within parks. Brighton has a range of locations for Christmas tree recycling which is great. Some councils are even offering to pick up undecorated trees from outside people’s houses this year to go for recycling. The trees are collected and shredded for compost so nothing goes to waste.

If you are not lucky enough to have a designated recycling point near you do not despair – many councils will accept them as green waste at recycling sites – ring to check before you make a trip.

If sending your tree away for recycling is simply not an option, you can still make use of the tree at home. Branches stripped from the main trunk can be used to protect expanses of exposed earth in the veg patch from cats and birds, and the trunk can be used as a pea pole or plant support. With all the little notches from the branches it makes a great climber pole.

And do not forget your cards – many councils will pick them up in your curbside recycling boxes, or you can take them to points for recycling at many high street retailers – The Woodland Trust teams up with shops such as Marks and Spencers to ensure that recycling points are spread around in January. And as well as the card being recycled, retailers pledge to plant trees for every 1000 or so cards which are processed.

Everyone wins.

(image via The Woodland Trust)

recycled wallpaper – with a twist.

Posted on January 5, 2012 by cpotter

Wallpaper has been enjoying a resurgence in interest of late, with large bold prints being used in both commercial and private interiors more frequently in recent years. After all, wallpaper is a great way to get instant patternation into a space, comes in a variety of colours, prints and finishes and is easy to install.

But as much as we like wallpaper, we like it when something is used with a twist.

We spotted this DIY Recycled Wallpaper at Inhabitat this week, and we think it is a truly brilliant idea. The brainchild of Dutch designer, Inke Heiland, the recycled kits are made from vintage wallpapers which have been cut into wildlife based silhouettes of everything from crocodiles to little birds. Packed up with wallpaper adhesive and a brush they are ready to be positioned on your wall.

Buy the kits from Inke’s workshop here.

best picks from the eco sales – the grey felt shoulder bag

Posted on January 3, 2012 by cpotter

Our last post in this mini series sets us up for the return to work.

A good, fairtrade, simple bag can be hard to find, but this lovely and classic grey felt shoulder bag from Oxfam ticks all of our simple yet stylish work wardrobe checklist.

A good size, a little detail, pockets, zip closure and short or long handles. What more could you wish for. A bit more colour? It is also available in red.

Get yours at Oxfam now for a bargain £14.99 - a 50% reduction.

best picks from the eco sales – the Orla Kiely Teacup Dress

Posted on December 28, 2011 by cpotter

January sales often mean clothes shopping, so today’s pick in this mini series is a truly beautiful dress.

Designed for People Tree by print queen Orla Kiely, the teacup dress is printed with teacups all over 100% cotton, in a lovely green shade.

Now available with a 40% reduction at the Ethical Superstore for £56.99. If you hurry, it could be your New Year dress!

the ecospot

the green orientated ramblings of the claire potter design studio…

Category Archives: eco fashion